I can confirm that my Series 1 TiVo works with my SA3250HD. It also worked with my SA8000 (not HD), but one would assume that it would work with the SA8000HD as well, but everyone knows what happens when you assume...

I've always wanted them to go back to DirecTV. They had DirecTV at their old place and had bad reception when the trees were full in the spring/summer. They've never gotten that bad taste out of their mouth.

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Sounds like the dish at the old place needed to be re-aligned or mounted in a different location. Get them a DIRECTV system for their new location. They'll luv you for it. They're no doubt paying way to much for the cabletv service they have now.

If they still don't want to switch to DIRECTV tell them they must be senile and that you'll put them in an old folks home.

Originally posted by keefer37 I've always wanted them to go back to DirecTV. They had DirecTV at their old place and had bad reception when the trees were full in the spring/summer. They've never gotten that bad taste out of their mouth.

Though off subject-and ranting for no reason but--- Everybody I speak with tells me to go satellite.

I guess Im just a young fool they wont budge but I have tried dish at 3 locations and none have been acceptable.

People from this forum _no names mentioned_ just do not believe you can be happy with cable and not interested in sat. I guess its an on going debate (and well should be) but I have to say I have received over 150 post replies asking me to go satellite and then badgering me when I tell them its just not right for me.

Btw-- Tried satellite in Ipswich, MA- Haverhill, MA- Salem, MA
Friends have had it and got rid of it in Lexington, MA- Arlington, MA- Newburyport, MA

The SA8000HD doesn't output through both HD and SD outputs simultaneously. You've have to disable the HD output to use it with the Tivo.

Even in SD (480i) only mode, the SA8000HD doesn't output a 480i signal to s-video and composite in some versions of the software. It will always output these signals to component, though, so worst case, you buy some sort of 480i component -> s-video converter.

I did indeed have the SA8000 and it did work. I returned it when the SA3250HD became available. I will, however, be returning the 3250HD for the 8000, as my TV does a bad job at decoding HD signals (it was a first generation HDTV-capable TV).

Originally posted by angel35 You can not use s-Video or compose output on 8000HD only the compnent works. This is from Time Warner in New York city.I tried all kind of ways to get TIVO to work.I could not do it

No clue about your particular cable operator / box / software version ... but this is certainly not accurate for all 8000HDs.

On my 8000HD, and on most versions of the SARA software ... specifically v.1.83.4.a8 (Cox, Fairfax) ... there's an 'SD Mode' which fully enables SVideo, composite, and coax all the time. All content, all functionality, etc. are all available. Fully usable with Tivo ...

1. Make sure cabling is hooked up appropriately. Run component to your TV. Run SVideo (if you've got it), composite, or coax to the TV/Tivo. Don't use composite from the 'Out to VCR' outputs ... use the standard 'Out to TV' composite outputs (which is actually one of the component connectors so that probably won't be usefull in this example).

To switch to 'SD Mode':
1. Turn on TV/Tivo
2. Make sure TV/Tivo is on the correct input (SVideo, composite, or Ch. 3 if using coax)
3. Tun off 8000HD
4. Press Guide and Info at the same time on the box.
5. Note - if you've got your TV on the component input, you'll see a message box with something to the effect of "Currently in HD Mode, press [A] to continue" ... don't press anything (but switch TV/Tivo to appropriate input ... SVideo, composite, or Ch. 3).
5. Wait ...
6. Wait ...
7. You'll eventually see a message (on the TV/Tivo) "Currently in SD Mode, press [A] to continue".
8. Press [A] to use 'SD Mode'
9. If you've got your TV on component input, the display will be black/white/fuzzy. This is normal because the top composite output will be active.
10. Turn box on ... you're good to go. SVideo, composite, and coax will all always be active. It's just like running a normal SciAtl 8000 (SD).

To switch to back to 'HD Mode':
1. Turn on TV/Tivo
2. Make sure TV is on the correct input (component)
3. Turn off 8000HD
4. Press Guide and Info at the same time on the box.
5. Note - You'll see a message box with something to the effect of "Currently in SD Mode, press [A] to continue" ... don't press anything. On component input the message will be black/white/fuzzy. On SVideo, composite, or coax ... the message will be clear.
6. Don't press anything yet
7. Wait ...
8. Wait ...
9. You'll eventually see a clear message (via component) "Currently in HD Mode, press [A] to continue". Via SVideo, composite, or coax ... you wouldn't see anything.
10. Press [A] to use 'HD Mode'

You're now in the 'HDTV Setup Wizard' (which you can exit out of ... press exit or turn box on). But ... it's good to know and described here (with several errors / ommissions / things not applicable to your software):http://www.scientificatlanta.com/exp...d/4003114B.pdf

11. Turn box on ... you're good to go

Notes:
1. Exact details may vary with exact software / version. I've heard later versions of SARA have potentially 'disabled' the wizard used above ... but I can only confirm the software I have. No clue if this works with Passport.

2. There's also feedback on the front panel LED which would allow you to switch modes w/o looking at the screen. I forget exactly what it is (I think 'HD' and 'SD) ... but ... you may want to make a note of that if you're going to do this often.

3. I think there's a shorter way of doing this using a specific combination of buttons on the front of the box ... but I forget the details at the moment.

4. When in 'HD Mode', SVideo, Coax output, and the 'Out To VCR' composite outputs are active when using PIP and 'Save To VCR'. For some this isn't helpfull (can't ff/rw/list/etc ... wouldn't work well with Tivo) ... but it's good to know. For example, it'd be a way to dump a show to a Tivo (in the background) while watching something else on the 8000HD. An HD source + TivoToGo ... you could actually make some pretty good-looking DVDs.

5. 'SD Mode' is DIFFERENT from being in 'HD Mode' with output format set to 480i. In 'SD mode' ... SVideo, composite, and coax are always active. In 'HD Mode' at 480i ... component is output at 480i ... but SVideo, composite, and coax are NOT active.

Originally posted by dt_dc
5. 'SD Mode' is DIFFERENT from being in 'HD Mode' with output format set to 480i. In 'SD mode' ... SVideo, composite, and coax are always active. In 'HD Mode' at 480i ... component is output at 480i ... but SVideo, composite, and coax are NOT active.

But this does mean that you have to manually set your box back to HD mode in order to record an HD show, right? Or can you have the box in SD mode - so that Tivo can record from Svideo or composite - and still record HD versions of shows, for viewing later?

As far as I can tell, this setup is a step backwards from what the 3100HD (non DVR) does - all outputs are active, except when an HD channel is selected... then the SD outputs go blank. It looks like the 8300HD DVR also does this, but the 8000HD doesn't.

Originally posted by ehagberg But this does mean that you have to manually set your box back to HD mode in order to record an HD show, right?

No. The 8000HD will happily record HD content when in 'SD Mode'. It will even play it back (and output) HD content ... in SD over the regular outputs. You just need to be in 'HD Mode' to actually watch HD content ... in HD.

Quote:

Originally posted by ehagberg Or can you have the box in SD mode - so that Tivo can record from Svideo or composite - and still record HD versions of shows, for viewing later?

Exactly.

Quote:

Originally posted by ehagberg As far as I can tell, this setup is a step backwards from what the 3100HD (non DVR) does - all outputs are active, except when an HD channel is selected... then the SD outputs go blank.

They're each goofy in their own ways. I also don't like how the 3100HD is locked in to 1080i via component ... or the lack of DVI. The 3250HD (with appropriate software) fixes many of these issues ...

Personally, I've hooked my SA Tivo up via coax and use it only for analog channels. That's what works best for me. But I did want to point out that is is POSSIBLE to use a Tivo with an 8000HD ... and what's required to do so.

As always ... exact software / version / cable system / etc. can lead to different results. I'm on Cox Fairfax SARA 1.83.4.a8.

One thing no one is talking about is the fact that the SA8000 turns itself off every night. It has an power save feature that turns it off at 1 a.m. each night and it stays off until you turn it back on.
If it's off, the Tivo can't change the channel or turn the box on, so that means a lot of missed shows.

The Auto-shutoff is on all SciAtl DVRs (8000, 8000HD, 8300, 8300HD, etc) running SARA after a certain software version. Don't know the exact version ... but I seem to remeber it first getting rolled out / mentioned in May / June.

The Auto-shutoff is for a certain time-frame ... 1:00 AM - 5:00 AM (or something like that ... maybe 6:00 AM). The box will turn off after a certain period of time with no activity.

So, you could set a "wake-up" timer (the DVRs have this standard SARA feature) for 1:01 AM ... but that won't do any good because after a certain period of inactivity ... the box will turn off.

The SciAtl DVRs still record even when they're "off" (just like Tivo) ... they just don't output any video (just like Tivo).

Yes, the "turn on for channel change" would probably fix this ... don't have that feature with my software.

Originally posted by markandjenn I can confirm that my Series 1 TiVo works with my SA3250HD. It also worked with my SA8000 (not HD), but one would assume that it would work with the SA8000HD as well, but everyone knows what happens when you assume...

Just browsing, and I don't know how old this thread is, but had to answer. I was disappointed to find out that all of the really neat outputs on the SA 8000HD (S-video, "VCR archive," digital audio) except the Component Video and L/R audio are not functional at this time. No "off loading." Get the DVR version of the SA box, and watch it while you can.

Originally posted by dt_dc No clue about your particular cable operator / box / software version ... but this is certainly not accurate for all 8000HDs.

On my 8000HD, and on most versions of the SARA software ... specifically v.1.83.4.a8 (Cox, Fairfax) ... there's an 'SD Mode' which fully enables SVideo, composite, and coax all the time. All content, all functionality, etc. are all available. Fully usable with Tivo ...

1. Make sure cabling is hooked up appropriately. Run component to your TV. Run SVideo (if you've got it), composite, or coax to the TV/Tivo. Don't use composite from the 'Out to VCR' outputs ... use the standard 'Out to TV' composite outputs (which is actually one of the component connectors so that probably won't be usefull in this example).

To switch to 'SD Mode':
1. Turn on TV/Tivo
2. Make sure TV/Tivo is on the correct input (SVideo, composite, or Ch. 3 if using coax)
3. Tun off 8000HD
4. Press Guide and Info at the same time on the box.
5. Note - if you've got your TV on the component input, you'll see a message box with something to the effect of "Currently in HD Mode, press [A] to continue" ... don't press anything (but switch TV/Tivo to appropriate input ... SVideo, composite, or Ch. 3).
5. Wait ...
6. Wait ...
7. You'll eventually see a message (on the TV/Tivo) "Currently in SD Mode, press [A] to continue".
8. Press [A] to use 'SD Mode'
9. If you've got your TV on component input, the display will be black/white/fuzzy. This is normal because the top composite output will be active.
10. Turn box on ... you're good to go. SVideo, composite, and coax will all always be active. It's just like running a normal SciAtl 8000 (SD).

To switch to back to 'HD Mode':
1. Turn on TV/Tivo
2. Make sure TV is on the correct input (component)
3. Turn off 8000HD
4. Press Guide and Info at the same time on the box.
5. Note - You'll see a message box with something to the effect of "Currently in SD Mode, press [A] to continue" ... don't press anything. On component input the message will be black/white/fuzzy. On SVideo, composite, or coax ... the message will be clear.
6. Don't press anything yet
7. Wait ...
8. Wait ...
9. You'll eventually see a clear message (via component) "Currently in HD Mode, press [A] to continue". Via SVideo, composite, or coax ... you wouldn't see anything.
10. Press [A] to use 'HD Mode'

You're now in the 'HDTV Setup Wizard' (which you can exit out of ... press exit or turn box on). But ... it's good to know and described here (with several errors / ommissions / things not applicable to your software):http://www.scientificatlanta.com/exp...d/4003114B.pdf

11. Turn box on ... you're good to go

Notes:
1. Exact details may vary with exact software / version. I've heard later versions of SARA have potentially 'disabled' the wizard used above ... but I can only confirm the software I have. No clue if this works with Passport.

2. There's also feedback on the front panel LED which would allow you to switch modes w/o looking at the screen. I forget exactly what it is (I think 'HD' and 'SD) ... but ... you may want to make a note of that if you're going to do this often.

3. I think there's a shorter way of doing this using a specific combination of buttons on the front of the box ... but I forget the details at the moment.

4. When in 'HD Mode', SVideo, Coax output, and the 'Out To VCR' composite outputs are active when using PIP and 'Save To VCR'. For some this isn't helpfull (can't ff/rw/list/etc ... wouldn't work well with Tivo) ... but it's good to know. For example, it'd be a way to dump a show to a Tivo (in the background) while watching something else on the 8000HD. An HD source + TivoToGo ... you could actually make some pretty good-looking DVDs.

5. 'SD Mode' is DIFFERENT from being in 'HD Mode' with output format set to 480i. In 'SD mode' ... SVideo, composite, and coax are always active. In 'HD Mode' at 480i ... component is output at 480i ... but SVideo, composite, and coax are NOT active.

In York city Time warner 8000HD box will not do that. IT runs on passport. In the manual it says s video and others are for future use

Exact details may vary with exact software / version. I've heard later versions of SARA have potentially 'disabled' the wizard used above ... but I can only confirm the software I have. No clue if this works with Passport.

Ok here goes. I have a Scientific Atlanta 4200HD digital cable box, a surround sound receiver, and a series2 Tivo. Is there a way to get them all to work together correctly? I currently have the Tivo hooked to the receiver's Input 1, and the receiver hooked to the TV's input 1. So as long as both are set on Input 1, or Line 1, I can ge Tivo on-screen, which brings me to another problem. The Tivo doesn't change the channel. The digits on the SA4200HD box change, but on-screen, there's no change. Which essentially means that the Tivo is always on the same channel, so if it records anything, it doesn't seem to realize that the channel isn't actually changing. This essentially makes the Tivo useless. The SA4200HD is hooked to the TV through the Component cables, so that all works fine. But I still have to switch to both Input 1's in order to see the Tivo stuff on-screen, but then I have the problem I mentioned above. Any ideas at all about this? I've tried seemingly every configuration..to no avail. I'm stumped...